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Sotheby’s Fine Jewels auction features an eclectic selection of jewels from the late 18th century to the present day. These are my highlights:

Eye miniatures The sale includes a selection of eye miniature jewels that are, in my opinion, some of the most romantic pieces ever made. The fashion for these intimate jewels was started by the Prince Regent, later George IV who had an affair with Mrs Fitzherbert. She was a widow and a Catholic, meaning that he was unable to openly declare his love for her, so he commissioned his miniaturist to paint just her eye which he had mounted onto the brooch he wore at all times inside his robes, even on his death bed. The eye is the window to the soul and only the wearer of such jewels knows who the image depicts. Sometimes the eye will be within clouds or a tear is painted in the corner, meaning that the wearer is grieving their loss. There are a total of 13 eye miniatures in the sale, sold in pairs or threes, with estimates of around £3,000 to £4,000.

Lot 77: Boucheron brooch This brooch caught my eye because of the unusual design combination. Plique-à-jour enamel (translated as “letting in light”, it has a similar effect to stained glass) seems to have been used to depict Scottish tartan which is interesting for a French jewellery house, suggesting it may have been a special commission. Made by Boucheron Paris in the 1940s it is set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds and is estimated to sell for £4,000 to £5,000.

Lot 280: Arnaldo Pomodoro necklace Jewellery is made to be worn, not looked at in a catalogue and when I tried this striking necklace on it came alive. It is made by Arnaldo Pomodoro, an Italian sculptor who primarily focused on the transformation of space through sculpture. He is particularly known for creating spherical sculptures which are reflected in this diamond-set necklace. In 1999 he founded the Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro in Milan, housing his archive and also used to showcase works by fellow Italian artists such as Lucio Fontana and Jannis Kounellis. These jewels are an opportunity for people to own a work of art by accomplished artists on a smaller scale, but they still carry weighty price tags: the Pomodoro necklace is estimated at £14,500 to £16,500.

Lots 213, 214 & 215: Evelyn Saint-George’s brooches Discovering who once owned jewellery makes it come alive, and these three unusual jewels have a fascinating past. They were commissioned in the early 20th century by Mrs Evelyn Saint-George, a wealthy American and the eldest child of George Fisher Baker, founder and president of the First National Bank of the City of New York. St George was an independent and strong woman; she married an Irish land agent against her father’s wishes, and later had a long-running affair with artist William Orpen – the couple earned the nickname “Jack and the Beanstalk” because he was a foot taller than her. Her choice in jewels reflects her rebellious spirit – the fashion at the time was for delicate platinum and diamond-set jewels and these three brooches are strikingly different.

The sale includes a gold brooch by Rène Lalique which depicts two embracing angels and comes with an estimate of £5,000 to £7,000; a carved hardstone brooch designed as a grotesque mask flanked by two entwining serpents (estimate £2,500 to £3,500); and a baroque pearl and diamond bat design which is estimated to sell for between £10,000 and £15,000.

Portrait of Mrs Evelyn Saint-GeorgeCredit:
Sotheby's

All jewels will be auctioned at the Fine Jewels sale at Sotheby's London on March 15